Inlays - whats the point?

Karl Hungus

I've been talking on IRC, the subject of inlays came up, and I'm wondering now, is there really any point to them at all?

I mean, of course they're there as a guide for what fret you're on, but the side-markers do that job just as well, if not better, because you generally don't leer over your fretboard that much. Or at least, I don't.

<nosmo> "How leet am I, no inlays, zomg!"

Since I've requested the fretboard on my custom guitar to be devoid of inlays, because I personally find a nice ebony board far more aesthetically pleasing without being fouled by dots, diamonds, sharkteeth, birds, or roman numerals, I also have to wonder, does anyone actually like the look of inlays?

Thoughts?



Oh, and also...

How many drummers does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
Four.

One to do it and three to tell him how much better Neil Peart could do it.

feylya

So you can replace them with LED's and look funky of course!

cause desingers don't like blank spaces, it's as easy as that, they're purerly for asthetics, most people prefer them to blank ones, and the designers have to aim at the wider audience.

Karl Hungus

feylya wrote:

So you can replace them with LED's and look funky of course!

Or look like you're playing for Limp Bizkit. :rolleyes:

feylya

Nout wrong with that.

Karl Hungus

If you say so fey.

Deleted User wrote:

cause desingers don't like blank spaces, it's as easy as that, they're purerly for asthetics, most people prefer them to blank ones, and the designers have to aim at the wider audience.

That's still a matter of opinion, but one might think that leaving out the inlays would be more cost efficiant, and probably the choice for business savvy guitar companies would go for? Or perhaps not.

Out of curiosity, what inlays (if any) would you like?

feylya

I want!

i like them as plain as possible, but still there, just to break up the space. Dots, not stars, or else just squares.

Karl Hungus

Does something like this not tickle your fancy? Wouldn't inlays just look ghastly on that lovely fretboard?

feylya

Is that a Carvin, Karl?


Yum.

not a fan of blank dark fretboards, but it's nice on lighter woods. For instance



(even though this does have inlays, they're pretty tiny and you can basically see what the fretboard would look like without them, if you get me)

feylya

Like that?

vengeance52

personally, i would love fingerprint inlays instead of dots. but in a dark silver so there not too obvious.

-V-

nice fretboard, not a fan of the guitar though, i don't like "points" and angles on a guitar.

feylya

Aye, it's a pointy beast alright.

Karl Hungus

feylya wrote:

Is that a Carvin, Karl?

Yep, it's a Carvin.

not a fan of the guitar though, i don't like "points" and angles on a guitar.

I don't think you'll like my custom guitar then.

It's very pointy.

Strangely, not a fan of Maple fretboards at all myself.

It wasn't me!

I like blank best, but I think some guitars need them for their character. I have trouble imagining a Les Paul, for instance, without those trapezoid inlays. And not a huge fan of maple fingerboards myself. You just don't get the same warmth out of them.

-=al=-

Ah i like a nice inlay i think some can look sweet, im not the biggest fan of the simple dots but i love the tree of life inlay on the Jems they get me every time,

If i was to have a custom inlay, Id have my starsign at the 12th fret, and The moon going from teh Half moon to the Full moon, anyone ever see that inlay??

It depends on the look and guitar i like the shiney maple ones without inlays they look really clean!

Karl Hungus

I'd hate to see this baby with inlays. Wouldn't mind one of those myself, very nice altogether.

bombidol

Thats My Baby

feylya

Lovely guitars. Played Conall's from MGS on Friday. Lovely stuff

david

feylya wrote:

Lovely guitars. Played Conall's from MGS on Friday. Lovely stuff

Sweet, i love conalls guitar apart from the inlays... Im interested to know how it compares to your SZ520qm... Both playability and ease of use...

feylya

Well, when I played it, it was just unplugged and I had a few in me. His has 24 frets verses my 22. But really really nice. Love the red burst he has. What inlays are in it? I can't remember :eek:

david

Weird triangular things... like the star trek logo! I prefer the black berry SZ really... mmmmmm....

feylya

Is his flamed? Jesus, maybe I was drunker than I thought...

I'd like to try both of them side by side. I keep noticing cool things about the SZ. Like the coil tap in the middle position running through my clean patch on my ME-50. Sounds quite...interesting

david

This is the SZ....

Now, I have the money... so, should i get a flextone XL or the SZ... I dont play in a band at the moment...

feylya

What amp do you have?

david

feylya wrote:

Is his flamed? Jesus, maybe I was drunker than I thought...

I'd like to try both of them side by side. I keep noticing cool things about the SZ. Like the coil tap in the middle position running through my clean patch on my ME-50. Sounds quite...interesting

Yeah thats the same as his one... He told me he got it for $500 with a hardcase in Guitar Centre, LA when they were mastering the album there... Lucky ****er. I suppose if i got one for $500, i wouldnt complain about the inlays...

david

feylya wrote:

What amp do you have?

MG100dfx, i might try to flog it and get a nice little laney valve combo... the 10" 15watt one is only 300 or so.

feylya

Aye, he mentioned he got it in LA alright. Hmmm, you should get about €250 for that amp alright, probably more from the Buy And Sell. Have you tried the Laney?

Karl Hungus

bombidol wrote:

Thats My Baby

Those are... erm, interesting inlays.

John

Some guitars need inlays, some don't. Les Pauls would look terrible without them but my bass looks oh so sexy without.

Karl Hungus

John2 wrote:

Les Pauls would look terrible without them

I disagree. The gothic les paul looks fairly swish with just it's 12th fret inlay, so I'd say it would look perfectly fine, if not better, without it.

feylya

There's something about an all black guitar that just works...

Karl Hungus

feylya wrote:

There's something about an all black guitar that just works...

Preach it brother!

Although, with that said, chrome hardware on all-black = secksual!

feylya

An all black guitar but with pearloid binding on the body, neck and head. Yum

Karl Hungus

I'm not a fan of binding myself, but I do see what you're getting at. A little something to off-set the black is definetly swish. Same principle of the chrome hardware.

John

Karl Hungus wrote:

I disagree. The gothic les paul looks fairly swish with just it's 12th fret inlay, so I'd say it would look perfectly fine, if not better, without it.

I'm not big on the gothic, looks kind of sterile

feylya

Put a blank died ebony board on it... Oh yeah!

Karl Hungus

feylya wrote:

Put a blank died ebony board on it... Oh yeah!

Rip out those EMGs while you're at it... Oh yeah!

david

feylya wrote:

Aye, he mentioned he got it in LA alright. Hmmm, you should get about €250 for that amp alright, probably more from the Buy And Sell. Have you tried the Laney?

Yeah I played the laney for a while, but it looks like ill be goin for the flextone now...

Eoin Madsen

I prefer guitars without inlays, I have to say.

The Les Paul Swampash Studio looks seriously cool.



A few years ago I was all about the black. In recent times I find myself drawn more towards natural finishes, no inlays, no binding etc.

Karl Hungus

That is seriously secksy, Eoin.

It wasn't me!

I like black, white or naturals.

Karl Hungus

Hmm... I don't quite like white guitars. Something sort of tacky about them.

It wasn't me!

When I think of a white guitar I think of a white Les Paul Custom, and there's nothing sexier than that.

feylya

A white Jem...

It wasn't me!

I prefer a Les Paul.

Eoin Madsen

White Les Paul is okay... think about a white Strat. Urgh.

Yeah, I want that Swamp Ash guitar. I need a real job so I can fund my habit. :rolleyes:

Doctor J

Eoin Madsen wrote:

think about a white Strat

****in A!

feylya

That's more of a light blond than a white...